,,ii ,calendar ,no4 #bef #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #ajae ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #c1 #bjag,mr4 ,hatch 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,donnelly1 ,mr4 ,sullivan1 ,mr4 ,udall1 ,mr4 ,heller1 ,ms4 ,baldwin1 ,mr4 ,schatz1 and ,mrs4 ,shaheen7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation ,october #ca1 #bjag,reported by ,mr4 ,thune1 with an amendment,strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic ,a ,,bill ,to require the ,federal ,communications ,commission to study the feasibility of designating a simple1 easy-to-remember dialing code to be used for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,national ,suicide ,hotline ,improvement ,act of #bjag4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,according to the ,national ,center for ,health ,statistics1 suicide rates in the ,united ,states have surged to their highest levels in nearly #cj years4 7#b7 ,the overall suicide rate rose by #bd percent from #aiii to #bjad4 7#c7 ,the ,national ,suicide ,prevention ,lifeline 7#a-hjj-bgc-,,talk #hbee71 created under the leadership of the ,center for ,mental ,health ,services of the ,substance ,abuse and ,mental ,health ,services ,administration 7commonly known as ,,samhsa71 is a network of #afa crisis centers that provide a toll-free hotline #bd hours a day1 #g days a week to anyone experiencing a mental health or suicidal emergency or crisis4 7#d7 ,in #aifg1 the ,president's ,commission on ,law ,enforcement and ,administration of ,justice recommended the creation of a single telephone number that could be used nationwide for reporting emergencies4 7#e7 ,in #aifh1 the ,federal ,communications ,commission agreed upon the number #i-a-a1 one of eight ,n#aa dialing codes1 as a simple1 easy-to-remember telephone number to be the dedicated number for reporting emergencies1 and #i-a-a became the national emergency number for individuals in the ,united ,states to access police1 fire1 and ambulance services4 7#f7 ,based on the success of the #i-a-a nationwide emergency number1 a study by the ,federal ,communications ,commission regarding the use of a simple1 easy-to-remember dedicated #c-;digit dialing code for a suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system would be beneficial in the prevention of suicide nationwide4 #c4 ,definitions ,in this ,act-- 7#a7 the term ,assistant ,secretary means the ,assistant ,secretary for ,mental ,health and ,substance ,use2 7#b7 the term ,commission means the ,federal ,communications ,commission2 7#c7 the term covered dialing code means a simple1 easy-to-remember1 #c-;digit dialing code2 and 7#d7 the term ,n#aa dialing code means an abbreviated dialing code consisting of #c digits1 of which-- 7,a7 the first digit may be any digit other than #a or #j2 and 7,b7 each of the last #b digits is #a4 #d4 ,,fcc study and report 7a7 ,study 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,commission1 in coordination with the ,assistant ,secretary1 shall conduct a study that-- 7,a7 examines the feasibility of designating an ,n#aa dialing code or other covered dialing code to be used for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system2 and 7,b7 analyzes the effectiveness of the current ,national ,suicide ,prevention ,lifeline1 including how well the lifeline is working to address the needs of veterans4 7#b7 ,requirements ,in conducting the study under paragraph 7#a71 the ,commission shall-- 7,a7 request that the ,assistant ,secretary study and report to the ,commission on the potential impact of the designation of an ,n#aa dialing code1 or other covered dialing code1 for a suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system on-- 7i7 suicide prevention2 7ii7 crisis services2 7iii7 the ,national ,suicide ,prevention ,lifeline2 and 7iv7 the ,veterans ,crisis ,line2 7,b7 consider-- 7i7 each of the ,n#aa dialing codes1 including the codes that are used for other purposes2 and 7ii7 other covered dialing codes2 7,c7 consult with the ,north ,american ,numbering ,council2 and 7,d7 consult with the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs with respect to how well the current ,national ,suicide ,prevention ,lifeline is working to address the needs of veterans4 7b7 ,report ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,commission shall submit to ,congress a report on the study conducted under subsection 7a7 that-- 7#a7 recommends a particular ,n#aa dialing code or other covered dialing code to be used for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system2 7#b7 outlines the logistics of designating such a dialing code2 7#c7 estimates the costs associated with designating such a dialing code1 including-- 7,a7 the costs incurred by service providers1 including-- 7i7 translation changes in the network2 and 7ii7 cell site analysis and reprogramming by wireless carriers2 and 7,b7 the costs incurred by ,states and localities2 7#d7 provides legislative recommendations for designating such a dialing code2 7#e7 provides a cost-benefit analysis comparing the recommended dialing code with the current ,national ,suicide ,prevention ,lifeline2 and 7#f7 makes other recommendations for improving the national suicide prevention lifeline system generally1 which may include-- 7,a7 increased funding2 7,b7 increased public education and awareness2 and 7,c7 improved infrastructure and operations4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,national ,suicide ,hotline ,improvement ,act of #bjag4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act-- 7#a7 the term ,commission means the ,federal ,communications ,commission2 7#b7 the term covered dialing code means a simple1 easy-to-remember1 #c-;digit dialing code2 and 7#c7 the term ,n#aa dialing code means an abbreviated dialing code consisting of #c digits1 of which-- 7,a7 the first digit may be any digit other than #a or #j2 and 7,b7 each of the last #b digits is #a4 #c4 ,studies and reports 7a7 ,primary study 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,commission1 in coordination with the ,assistant ,secretary for ,mental ,health and ,substance ,use and the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs1 shall conduct a study that-- 7,a7 examines the feasibility of designating an ,n#aa dialing code or other covered dialing code to be used for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system2 and 7,b7 analyzes the effectiveness of the ,national ,suicide ,prevention ,lifeline as of the date on which the study is initiated1 including how well the lifeline is working to address the needs of veterans4 7#b7 ,requirements 7,a7 ,commission ,in conducting the study under paragraph 7#a71 the ,commission shall-- 7i7 consider-- 7,i7 each of the ,n#aa dialing codes1 including the codes that are used for other purposes2 and 7,,ii7 other covered dialing codes2 7ii7 consult with the ,north ,american ,numbering ,council2 and 7iii7 review the information provided by the ,assistant ,secretary for ,mental ,health and ,substance ,use and the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs under subparagraphs 7,b7 and 7,c71 respectively1 of this paragraph4 7,b7 ,,samhsa study and report to assist ,commission ,to assist the ,commission in conducting the study under paragraph 7#a71 the ,assistant ,secretary for ,mental ,health and ,substance ,use shall analyze and1 not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 report to the ,commission on-- 7i7 the potential impact of the designation of an ,n#aa dialing code1 or other covered dialing code1 for a suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system on-- 7,i7 suicide prevention2 7,,ii7 crisis services2 and 7,,iii7 other suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotlines1 including-- 7aa7 the ,national ,suicide ,prevention ,lifeline2 and 7bb7 the ,veterans ,crisis ,line2 and 7ii7 possible recommendations for improving the ,national ,suicide ,prevention ,lifeline generally1 which may include-- 7,i7 increased public education and awareness2 and 7,,ii7 improved infrastructure and operations4 7,c7 ,,va study and report to assist ,commission ,to assist the ,commission in conducting the study under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs shall study and1 not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 report to the ,commission on how well the ,national ,suicide ,prevention ,lifeline and the ,veterans ,crisis ,line1 as in effect on the date on which the study is initiated1 is working to address the needs of veterans4 7b7 ,primary ,commission report 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,commission1 in coordination with the ,assistant ,secretary for ,mental ,health and ,substance ,use and the ,secretary of ,veterans ,affairs1 shall submit a report on the study conducted under subsection 7a7 that recommends whether a particular ,n#aa dialing code or other covered dialing code should be used for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline system to-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation of the ,senate2 7,b7 the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate2 and 7,c7 the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#b7 ,additional contents ,if the report submitted by the ,commission under paragraph 7#a7 recommends that a dialing code should be used1 the report shall also-- 7,a7 outline the logistics of designating such a dialing code2 7,b7 estimate the costs associated with designating such a dialing code1 including-- 7i7 the costs incurred by service providers1 including-- 7,i7 translation changes in the network2 and 7,,ii7 cell site analysis and reprogramming by wireless carriers2 and 7ii7 the costs incurred by ,states and localities2 7,c7 provide recommendations for designating such a dialing code2 7,d7 provide a cost-benefit analysis comparing the recommended dialing code with the ,national ,suicide ,prevention ,lifeline1 as in effect on the date on which the report is submitted2 and 7,e7 make other recommendations1 as appropriate1 for improving the ,national ,suicide ,prevention ,lifeline generally1 which may include-- 7i7 increased public education and awareness2 and 7ii7 improved infrastructure and operations4 ,october #ca1 #bjag,reported with an amendment